Mightier than the thunders of many waters, mightier than the waves of the sea, the Lord on high is mighty!
Stronger than wild sea storms, Mightier than sea storm breakers, Mighty God rules from High Heaven.
My study Bible comments: “God’s rule is based upon his control over the powers of chaos, symbolized by the waters of the sea.” The dictionary defines chaos as a state of utter confusion. Reminds me of my first response to depression, “I just need to sit and think and figure this out.” That was followed by my second response: utter confusion, because, of course, I couldn’t figure it out. As mighty and strong as this depression-induced chaos is, God is mightier. Picture the ocean this verse describes and then remember Jesus calming the sea. Dwell on this: Mighty God rules from High Heaven, calming the storm of depression.
Lord, Mighty God, calm the storm of depression. Let me dwell on the image of you calming the sea. Amen.
Thursday, May 10, 2012
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
Psalm 92:1
It is good to give thanks to the Lord, to sing praises to your name, O Most High;
What a beautiful thing, God, to give thanks, to sing an anthem to you, the High God!
Singing praises to God while suffering depression is just like doing any activity: I make myself. I make myself brush my teeth and get dressed. I make myself eat and take a walk. I make myself give thanks and sing praises to the Lord. How? I read the psalms. I read the liturgies and hymns in the hymnal. I listen to music. I make lists of the blessings in my life. I am not depressed because everything in my life is bad and I have no blessings. I am depressed because I’m sick. God is with me, delivering me from depression, and I praise him as best as I am able.
Lord, I’m not alone in praising you. Let me depend on all the people who have written praises to you, giving thanks with their words until I find my own words again. Amen.
What a beautiful thing, God, to give thanks, to sing an anthem to you, the High God!
Singing praises to God while suffering depression is just like doing any activity: I make myself. I make myself brush my teeth and get dressed. I make myself eat and take a walk. I make myself give thanks and sing praises to the Lord. How? I read the psalms. I read the liturgies and hymns in the hymnal. I listen to music. I make lists of the blessings in my life. I am not depressed because everything in my life is bad and I have no blessings. I am depressed because I’m sick. God is with me, delivering me from depression, and I praise him as best as I am able.
Lord, I’m not alone in praising you. Let me depend on all the people who have written praises to you, giving thanks with their words until I find my own words again. Amen.
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
Psalm 91:14
Because he cleaves to me in love, I will deliver him; I will protect him because he knows my name.
“If you’ll hold on to me for dear life,” says God, “I’ll get you out of any trouble.”
My study Bible calls Psalm 91 a “meditation on God as the protector of the faithful (a wisdom psalm).” In this verse God is talking about you and me. I’m tempted to form an ideal picture of cleaving to God in love, decide I’m falling short, and conclude that God isn’t protecting me. Then I remember Psalm 89 and resist trying to measure or evaluate my cleaving or my love. God isn’t measuring or evaluating. God doesn’t protect me because I deserve it or I’ve earned it. This verse says that God protects me because I ask him. Dwell on this: God protects you because you ask him.
Lord, I have spent the last 90 psalms cleaving to you in love. I am holding on to you for dear life. I know to call your name. Lord, protect me. Amen.
“If you’ll hold on to me for dear life,” says God, “I’ll get you out of any trouble.”
My study Bible calls Psalm 91 a “meditation on God as the protector of the faithful (a wisdom psalm).” In this verse God is talking about you and me. I’m tempted to form an ideal picture of cleaving to God in love, decide I’m falling short, and conclude that God isn’t protecting me. Then I remember Psalm 89 and resist trying to measure or evaluate my cleaving or my love. God isn’t measuring or evaluating. God doesn’t protect me because I deserve it or I’ve earned it. This verse says that God protects me because I ask him. Dwell on this: God protects you because you ask him.
Lord, I have spent the last 90 psalms cleaving to you in love. I am holding on to you for dear life. I know to call your name. Lord, protect me. Amen.
Monday, May 7, 2012
Psalm 90:12
So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.
Oh! Teach us to live well! Teach us to live wisely and well!
When I see these words, especially the second translation, I can easily think in the context of modern life. Living well means having money, and living wisely means never making mistakes. It reminds me of my husband singing Janis Joplin: “Lord, won’t you buy me a Mercedes Benz.“ So then I begin again, and think of the good life and wisdom God wants for me. A good life is based on the contentment that flows from praising God. Wisdom is knowing what’s important: caring for God’s people. God is only interested in today, and, with a heart of wisdom, I am only interested in today.
Lord, depression fills my mind with the regrets of yesterday and the worries of tomorrow. Teach me the wisdom of living each day in praise and service to you. Amen.
Oh! Teach us to live well! Teach us to live wisely and well!
When I see these words, especially the second translation, I can easily think in the context of modern life. Living well means having money, and living wisely means never making mistakes. It reminds me of my husband singing Janis Joplin: “Lord, won’t you buy me a Mercedes Benz.“ So then I begin again, and think of the good life and wisdom God wants for me. A good life is based on the contentment that flows from praising God. Wisdom is knowing what’s important: caring for God’s people. God is only interested in today, and, with a heart of wisdom, I am only interested in today.
Lord, depression fills my mind with the regrets of yesterday and the worries of tomorrow. Teach me the wisdom of living each day in praise and service to you. Amen.
Friday, May 4, 2012
Psalm 89:1
I will sing of your steadfast love, O Lord, for ever; with my mouth I will proclaim your faithfulness to all generations.
Your love, God, is my song, and I’ll sing it! I’m forever telling everyone how faithful you are.
Faith in God is a gift of the Holy Spirit. Keeping the faith during depression is a testament to the power of the Holy Spirit. Now you might argue and tell me how weak and almost non-existent your faith is at this point. The hopelessness of depression feels like proof that there is no God, or worse, that God has rejected you. But you know those are lies. Remember the faith of the mustard seed! Trust the Holy Spirit to maintain your faith through this illness. By God’s grace, because of his steadfast love and faithfulness, your faith is enough. My faith is enough.
Lord, thank-you for the blessing of faith in you. Let me proclaim your faithfulness by depending on the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Your love, God, is my song, and I’ll sing it! I’m forever telling everyone how faithful you are.
Faith in God is a gift of the Holy Spirit. Keeping the faith during depression is a testament to the power of the Holy Spirit. Now you might argue and tell me how weak and almost non-existent your faith is at this point. The hopelessness of depression feels like proof that there is no God, or worse, that God has rejected you. But you know those are lies. Remember the faith of the mustard seed! Trust the Holy Spirit to maintain your faith through this illness. By God’s grace, because of his steadfast love and faithfulness, your faith is enough. My faith is enough.
Lord, thank-you for the blessing of faith in you. Let me proclaim your faithfulness by depending on the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Thursday, May 3, 2012
Psalm 88:3
For my soul is full of troubles, and my life draws near to Sheol.
I’ve had my fill of trouble; I’m camped on the edge of hell.
My study Bible calls this psalm a desperate prayer for healing in sickness. I bet I’ve written about this before, but when I first realized that a week of rest wasn’t going to cure me, I was really shocked. As the weeks passed, I became desperate. I remember lying on the floor in utter desolation and this definition crossed my mind: hell is the absence of God. Yet there was a place in my heart that remembered God‘s mercy and faithfulness and kept believing in God’s presence. I thank God that I can pray this desperate prayer, and still God works through a tiny place in my heart.
Lord, you are with me even when I’m camping on the edge of hell. Thank-you for that place in my heart that remembered your mercy and faithfulness. Amen.
I’ve had my fill of trouble; I’m camped on the edge of hell.
My study Bible calls this psalm a desperate prayer for healing in sickness. I bet I’ve written about this before, but when I first realized that a week of rest wasn’t going to cure me, I was really shocked. As the weeks passed, I became desperate. I remember lying on the floor in utter desolation and this definition crossed my mind: hell is the absence of God. Yet there was a place in my heart that remembered God‘s mercy and faithfulness and kept believing in God’s presence. I thank God that I can pray this desperate prayer, and still God works through a tiny place in my heart.
Lord, you are with me even when I’m camping on the edge of hell. Thank-you for that place in my heart that remembered your mercy and faithfulness. Amen.
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
Psalm 87:6
The Lord records as he registers the peoples, “This one was born [in Zion].
God registers their names in his book: “This one, this one, and this one- born again, right here."
My study Bible says of this verse, “As God keeps the census records of the world, he notes with special pleasure the citizens of Zion.” For some reason this makes me think of the old joke about being surprised about who we see in heaven! But I shouldn’t be surprised to be recorded as a citizen of Zion. Psalm 86:15 tells us that God is “merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.” This is not a god who angrily scratches out a name at the first sin. God is pleased to write down my name and he is pleased to see me grow in mercy and grace, steadfast love and faithfulness.
Lord, let the mercy and grace you show me develop into mercy and grace I show myself and others. Let my life show that I was born in Zion. Amen.
God registers their names in his book: “This one, this one, and this one- born again, right here."
My study Bible says of this verse, “As God keeps the census records of the world, he notes with special pleasure the citizens of Zion.” For some reason this makes me think of the old joke about being surprised about who we see in heaven! But I shouldn’t be surprised to be recorded as a citizen of Zion. Psalm 86:15 tells us that God is “merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.” This is not a god who angrily scratches out a name at the first sin. God is pleased to write down my name and he is pleased to see me grow in mercy and grace, steadfast love and faithfulness.
Lord, let the mercy and grace you show me develop into mercy and grace I show myself and others. Let my life show that I was born in Zion. Amen.
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